Quince fruit is worth a try, if you can find it

Quince (Cydonia oblonga) is a small deciduous tree or large shrub in the Rosaceae family. The quince fruit, called a pome, is somewhat similar in appearance to a pear or golden apple.

The tree can be grown not only for its fruit, but also for its attractive pink blossoms and ornamental qualities. It is popular in parts of Africa, Asia, Europe and South America but has never caught on or been widely grown commercially in the United States. 

A very hardy tree, it thrives in most soil and usually grows 16 to 26 feet tall. The mature fruit grows to approximately 3 to 5 inches and is best consumed when it is fully ripened and cooked.

With September upon us, local farm markets and grocery stores offer baskets of gorgeous locally grown fruits, vegetables and flowers available for sale. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that you will find locally grown quince. If you can find it and you happen to be a bit of a foodie adventurer, purchase or pick a few pomes. You will be pleased with the results.

Quince trees have been grown locally for hundreds of years by private gardeners or as a pollinator tree in apple, pear or peach orchards. I understand from family and friends that my grandparents, great grandparents and a few friends back home in Cherry Valley, Pa., grew one or two of them in their backyards.

Several years ago, my neighbors introduced me to their quince tree that sits just across from my driveway. Happiness for me is that these lovely people no longer pick many of the quince fruits and the family allows me to harvest most of them.

The fruit is tough and a bit hard, even when fully ripened. It looks like an apple/pear hybrid with a bumpy consistency. The ripening fruit turns from green to pale green to a beautiful golden color in late fall, right before the first frost. That is the best time to pick them.

I have tasted the raw fruit, and I am not a fan. It is very hard and somewhat bitter. However, the aroma is quite the opposite. I have often placed a few of the pomes on my kitchen windowsill for ripening just to smell their amazing sweet, clean, unique fragrance.

The fruits are high in pectin, so most often they are used to make jelly or marmalade. I also have been known to throw in a few of peeled pieces when I am making homemade applesauce or apple pies. This “secret ingredient” complements and enhances the flavor, creating amazing apple pies and sauce.

Linda Sedar is a Master Gardener with Penn State Extension in Beaver County.